What role do instrument transformers play in electrical measurement?

Instrument transformers are crucial components in electrical measurement systems primarily because they serve to reduce high voltages and currents to manageable levels. This reduction facilitates safe measurement and monitoring of electrical quantities. By stepping down high voltage or current levels, instrument transformers allow standard measurement devices, such as ammeters and voltmeters, to function accurately without being subjected to potentially damaging high levels of electricity.

In application, when a high voltage is present in a power system, a voltage transformer (VT) steps down this voltage to a lower, standardized value, enabling safe and accurate measurement and protection system functionality. Similarly, a current transformer (CT) provides measurements of high current by converting it into a proportional lower current for accurate monitoring and analysis.

The other roles listed, such as increasing power, isolating circuits, or storing energy, do not accurately describe the primary function of instrument transformers in the context of electrical measurement. Instrument transformers inherently focus on safety and accuracy in measurements by transforming high electrical quantities into protectively lower levels.